1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a wine refrigerator, and more particularly to, a vibration isolation apparatus for a wine refrigerator which can prevent wine bottles stored in the wine refrigerator from being shaken in the operation of the wine refrigerator.
2. Description of the Background Art
In general, a refrigeration cycle system is mounted inside a refrigerator. An evaporator composing the refrigeration cycle system generates cool air. The cool air is circulated inside the refrigerator, for cooling the refrigerator.
Refrigerators can be classified into various shapes according to structural properties. Also, various types of refrigerators have been developed according to kinds of stored foods.
Recently, a cosmetics refrigerator and a wine refrigerator for storing cosmetics and wines in an optimum state have been developed.
Similarly to the general refrigerator, the wine refrigerator includes a main body having a storage chamber for storing wines, and a door mounted on one side of the main body, for opening or closing the storage chamber.
A refrigeration cycle system is formed in the main body. A compressor and a condenser of the refrigeration cycle system that generate vibration noise and heat are mounted on a mechanical chamber disposed at the lower portion of the main body.
FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating disassembly of the mechanical chamber of the conventional wine refrigerator, and FIG. 2 is a front-sectional view illustrating the mechanical chamber of the conventional wine refrigerator.
Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, in the mechanical chamber, a predetermined size of mounting space R is formed at a bottom rear portion of a main body 100, a predetermined area of bottom plate 110 is fastened to the bottom surface of the main body 100 by using a plurality of screws, and a cover 200 for covering the rear portion of the mounting space R is coupled to the bottom rear surface of the main body 100 by using a plurality of screws 210. The bottom plate 110 covers the bottom surface of the mounting space R of the main body 100.
A compressor 300 is installed on the bottom plate 110 to be positioned inside the mechanical chamber, a control box 400 is mounted on the sidewall of the mechanical chamber, and a defrosted waterspout 500 is installed on the inside top surface of the mechanical chamber to be positioned over the compressor 300. Water generated by frost molten in an evaporator (not shown) is collected in the defrosted waterspout 500 and evaporated.
The compressor 300 includes an airtight vessel 310, and a plurality of mounting plates 320 coupled to the bottom surface of the airtight vessel 310. A suction pipe 330 and a discharge pipe 340 for sucking and discharging refrigerants are connected respectively to the airtight vessel 310. The suction pipe 330 is connected to the evaporator, and the discharge pipe 340 is connected to a condenser (not shown) composing the refrigeration cycle system.
The structure of installing the compressor 300 on the bottom plate 110 will now be explained.
Through holes 321 are formed on the mounting plates 320 of the compressor 300, and through holes 111 corresponding to the through holes 321 of the mounting plates 320 are formed on the bottom plate 110. Cylindrical rubber vibration isolators 360 having a predetermined length are positioned between the bottom plate 110 and the mounting plates 320. Fixing bolts 370 are inserted into the through holes 111 of the bottom plate 110, the rubber vibration isolators 360 and the through holes 321 of the mounting plates 320, and nuts 380 are fastened to the fixing bolts 370. Accordingly, the mounting plates 320 and the rubber vibration isolators 360 are fixedly coupled to the bottom plate 110.
Two front legs 120 for supporting the main body 100 are coupled to the front edges of the bottom plate 110 mounted on the bottom surface of the main body 100, and two rear legs 130 for supporting the main body 100 are coupled to the rear portion of the bottom plate 110 at predetermined intervals. The front legs 120 can control height, and the rear legs 130 that are rollers can easily transport the refrigerator. The front legs 120 and the rear legs 130 contact the bottom surface on which the refrigerator is put, for supporting the refrigerator.
Reference numerals 350 and 220 denote a dryer and air vent holes, respectively.
In the operation of the refrigerator, when the compressor 300 sucks, compresses and discharges refrigerants, vibration noise and heat are generated. The heat generated by the compressor 300 is emitted through the air vent holes 220 of the cover 200. The vibration generated by the compressor 300 is slightly absorbed by the rubber vibration isolators 360. However, since the rubber vibration isolators 360 are disposed to directly contact the mounting plates 320 of the compressor 300 and the bottom plate 110, the vibration is transmitted to the bottom plate 110 through the rubber vibration isolators 360. Because the bottom plate 110 is coupled to the main body 100 through the plurality of screws, the vibration transmitted to the bottom plate 110 is directly transmitted to the main body 100. As a result, the bottom plate 110 and the main body 100 are vibrated, to cause vibration noise.
In general, wines are ripen in wine bottles. To preserve the special taste of the wines, the wines must be carefully handled and stored. Especially, temperature, sunlight, humidity, vibration and horizontality must be taken into consideration to handle and store wine bottles.
In the development procedure of the wine refrigerator, it is quite easy to control sunlight, humidity and horizontality but difficult to maintain an optimum temperature of the wine bottles and intercept vibration. Thus, researches have still been made on it.
In the case of the wine refrigerator described above, since the vibration generated by the mechanical chamber is transmitted to the main body 100, the wine bottles stored in the storage chamber of the main body 100 are more or less shaken. Accordingly, the special taste of the wines is deteriorated.